Unlike several countries like Germany, France, the UK, US, Canada and UAE that have had an air bubble with India during the pandemic allowing eligible categories of people to travel, Singapore and India created a vaccinated travel lane from November 29, 2021. The arrangement has started with six daily flights from Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai and Singapore Changi.

What is a tri-service inquiry?

It is a kind of an inquiry, in which the representatives of three armed forces - Army, Navy and Air Force--will be included..

• The inquiry will also include a thorough investigation of the black box and the remaining debris of the helicopter.
• Such kind of an inquiry includes four important points: Human error, mechanical error, weather conditions and terror attack."

Normally a chopper crash inquiry is done by the Air Force officials only, but since the list of deceased includes the CDS, a tri-service inquiry has been ordered.

Black Box

A black box is a device (Similar to a hard disk) that is installed in aircraft to help investigators in case of unfortunate accidents. 

• It is a highly protective machine that records all flight data and conversations in the cockpit. Apart from recording cockpit conversations, the recorder also holds information on automatic computer announcements, radio traffic, discussions with the crew and announcements to the passengers.
• There are two types of flight recording devices: 
  • Flight Data Recorder (FDR) that stores all the recent history of the flight through the recording of dozens of parameters collected multiple times per second
  • Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) that records cockpit sound including pilot conversations.

Why is it called Black Box?

The term “black box” was first used by the British during World War Two and referred to the secret development of radar and electronic navigational aids in British aircraft. These secretive devices were housed in non-reflective black boxes.

• The black is usually of bright orange colour, which makes it easier to spot amid the wrangled mess of the crash.

While crashes can happen anywhere both on land and over seas, the flight recorder is designed in a way that it can be recovered from underwater locations as well. The device sends out a signal on contact with saltwater that can be picked up within a radius of about two kilometres. The device can withstand water pressure found in depths of up to 6,000 meters.

Double wrapped in a corrosion-resistant stainless-steel container with high-temperature insulation, the black box is designed to withstand the harshest crashes -- on the land and seas.

World Inequality Lab

• It is a research laboratory focusing on the study of inequality worldwide. The WIL hosts the World Inequality Database, the most extensive public database on global inequality dynamics.
• It gathers social scientists committed to helping everyone understand the drivers of inequality worldwide through evidence-based research.
• Missions:
  • The extension of the World Inequality Database.
  • The publication of working papers, reports and methodological handbooks.
  • The dissemination in academic circles and public debates.

National Nutrition Mission / Poshan Abhiyaan

Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Women and Child Development

It is under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)which ensures convergence with various programs i.e., Anganwadi Services, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) of MWCD Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), National Health Mission (NHM), Swachh-Bharat Mission, Public Distribution System (PDS), Department Food & Public Distribution, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation.

This flagship program is to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. 

Launched on 8th March, on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2018, the POSHAN Abhiyaan directs the attention of the country towards the problem of malnutrition and addresses it in a mission mode.

It targeted the goal of attaining “Kuposhan Mukt Bharat" or malnutrition-free India, by 2022.

Post the launch of the Abhiyaan, NITI Aayog was entrusted with closely monitoring the scheme and undertaking periodic evaluations.

Aims:

• To reduce stunting, undernutrition, anemia (among young children, women, and adolescent girls), and low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3%, and 2% per annum respectively.
• To address the problem of malnutrition in a mission mode

Finance:

• 50% of the total budget comes from the World Bank or other multilateral development banks and the rest of the 50% is through the Centre’s budgetary support.
• The Centre's budgetary support is further divided into 60:40 between the Centre and the States, 90:10 for the north-eastern region and the Himalayan States, and 100% for the Union Territories (UTs) without legislature.

Prevalence in India: Kindly refer to the November 25 news report on the NHFS-5 Survey on Malnutrition in India.

Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2021

• The Bill establishes the National Board, the State Boards and the National Registry to regulate and supervise Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinics
• It establishes ART Banks to promote ethical practice.
• It will help in maintaining a database of all clinics and medical professionals serving in the field.
• It proposes stringent punishment for those who attempt to control the offspring’s sex, sell embryos or gametes.

Ken and Betwa Rivers

• Ken and Betwa rivers originate in MP and are the tributaries of Yamuna.
• Ken river originates at Ahirgawan, Kaimur range near Jabalpur district and meets with Yamuna in Banda district of UP
• Betwa River arises in the Vindhya Range just north of Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh. and meets with Yamuna in the Hamirpur district of UP.
• Rajghat, Paricha, and Matatila dams are over Betwa river, whereas Gangau Dam is over Ken river.
• Ken River passes through Panna tiger reserve.

Benefits of river interlinking:

• Enhances water and food security.
• Proper utilization of water.
• Boost to agriculture.
• Disaster mitigation.
• Boost transportation.
• Rejuvenate Bio-diversity

National Perspective Plan for interlinking of rivers:

• The National River Linking Project (NRLP) formally known as the National Perspective Plan, envisages the transfer of water from water ‘surplus’ basins where there is flooding, to water ‘deficit’ basins where there is drought/scarcity, through inter-basin water transfer projects.
• Under the National Perspective Plan (NPP), the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has identified 30 links (16 under the Peninsular Component and 14 under the Himalayan Component) for the preparation of feasibility reports (FRs).
• The NPP for transferring water from water surplus basins to water-deficit basins was prepared in August 1980.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)

The Chief Of Defence Staff (CDS)  was set up by the Government of India in 2020 on the recommendation of the Kargil Committee headed by K.Subramanyam in 2000.

The first CDS was Gen. Bipin Rawat who joined the office on 1 January 2020.  

The Chief of Defence Staff is described as the ‘first among equals among the service chiefs. The CDS is a four-star General/Officer who will act as the Principal Military Advisor to the Defence Minister on all tri-services (Army, Navy, and Indian Air Force) matters.

Roles and Functions-

• CDS will head Department of Military Affairs (Latest department of Defence Ministry)
• He will be the permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC)
• He will act as the military adviser to the Nuclear Command Authority (chaired by the Prime Minister), which handles India’s nuclear arsenal. 
• He will ensure the integration of land-air-sea operations through the eventual setting up of theatre commands.
• Promoting the use of indigenous equipment by the Services.
• Implement the five-year Defence Capital Acquisition Plan (DCAP) and the two-year roll-on Annual Acquisition Plans.
• CDS will administer the tri-services organizations/agencies related to Cyber and Space.
• 
  

Service Conditions-

• Can serve up to a maximum age of 65 years
• He will not be eligible to hold any government office after demitting (resigning) as the CDS.
• No private employment without prior approval for a period of five years after demitting the office of CDS.
• He will have the salary and perquisites equivalent to a service chief

Coonoor 

Located in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu.

 It has an average elevation of 1,850 meters (6,070 feet) above sea level. 

Nilgiri Mountains are part of the Western Ghats. (Highest Peak - Doddabetta, at 2,637 metres (8,652 ft)).

The Nilgiri Hills are part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (itself part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves) and form a part of the protected bio reserves in India.

Nigiri mountains are also known as Blue mountains due to the  bluish flowers of kurinji shrubs endemic to that area.

The Nilgiri Hills are separated from the Mysore Plateau to the north by the Moyar River

Nilgiri is surrounded by 3 national parks - 

• Mudumalai National Park (in the northern part of the range where Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu meet)
• Mukurthi National Park lies in the southwest part of the range, in Kerala, and
• Silent Valley National Park lies just to the south

Tribal people of the Nilgiri hills include Badagas, Todas, Kotas, Irullas and Kurumbas. They mainly depend on forests for their day-to-day life.

In July 2005 UNESCO recognized Nilgiri Mountain Railway as a World Heritage Site

MI-17-V5 Helicopter

The Mi-17 (NATO reporting name: Hip) is a Soviet-designed Russian military helicopter family produced by Kazan Helicopters. It is known as the Mi-8M series in Russian service. The helicopter is mostly used as a transport helicopter for various humanitarian and disaster relief missions, troop and arms transport, fire support, convoy escort, patrol, and search-and-rescue (SAR) missions as well as an armed gunship version.

Indian Air Force is using this since 2012

The Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) 

It is a defense service training institution of the Ministry of Defence located in Wellington, Tamil Nadu

It trains officers of all three services of the Indian Armed Forces – (Indian Military Service, Indian Naval Service, Indian Airforce Service), selected officers from the Paramilitary forces and the Civil Services, and Officers from friendly foreign countries for command and staff appointments.